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BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DELAWARE HOME AND HOSPITAL FOR THE CHRONICALLY ILL AT SMYRNA

Legislation in 19311 had authorized the Old Age Welfare Commission (RG 1509) to buy land and erect a “State Welfare Home,” which eventually was located in Smyrna. Until 1953, the Commission oversaw the operations of the home, but in that year,2 the Legislature created the Board of Trustees of the State Home and Hospital for the Chronically Ill at Smyrna. Its four members were gubernatorially appointed and were charged with maintaining the home and providing for the care, support, comfort, and well-being of its residence. Where physically possible, the Board was to assign work projects to the residents, and to afford them facilities for educational improvement, entertainment, and recreation.

The reorganization of state government in 1969 placed the State Home and Hospital under the control of the Director of the Division of Physical Health, within the newly-created Department of Health and Social Services (RG 1500). All Board of Trustees members with un-expired terms were continued as members of the new Council on the Delaware Home and Hospital, which served as an advisory group to the division Director on matters relevant to the facility.3

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DELAWARE HOME AND HOSPITAL FOR THE CHRONICALLY ILL AT SMYRNA